To Everything, There is a Season

On Sunday, I attended church in cool, Fall-like weather. In Florida, churches were closed because of Hurricane Irma fast approaching. I barbecued outdoors and served my family dinner and special cake for Alexia's 10th day leading up to her Sweet 16. In Florida, many families were dispersed to shelters, hunkered down in their homes or stayed with friends or families further North. On Sunday night, I watched the Dallas Cowboys play and beat the New York Giants (Yay) in between watching the 2018 Miss America Pageant where my kids, Ryan, Shawntel (1996 Miss America) and their two youngest boys were celebrating that wonderful organization that provides such outstanding scholarships for young women. I’ll admit my conscience was disturbed as I was having such a beautiful day, while people in storm areas didn’t even know if they’d have a home to go home to the next day, or if they did, they didn’t know when their electricity would be back on or have access to running water.

King Solomon (son of King David) wrote these words in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
~ a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
~ a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
~ a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
~ a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
~ a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
~ a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
~ a time to tear, and a time to sew; time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
~ a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”

That list represents the seasons and the important matters of our lives. Some are happy times, others sad; some are productive while others seem wasteful; some inspire peace and others bring pain. But, all of them are necessary for us to learn, grow, and be resilient and determined to press through or coast through “the seasons”. Their appearance is not by accident. If we look closely enough, each experience reveals a loving, divine purpose that we can learn to trust God more.

I share this with you from experience. I’ve experienced most all of those seasons that King Solomon referred to, especially “a time to be born, and a time to die” Today marks the birthday of my precious husband. . I enjoyed many seasons with him before his graduation day to heaven. There were times of weeping, and there were times of laughing. I laugh a lot these days. My time for weeping was over. There was a time to mourn and a time to dance.

I know it’s difficult to fathom any good that can come out of the devastation and heartbreak that has been experienced in the recent hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes. We prayed for the Lord to push this storm away from land and out into the sea, but instead it ravaged so many homes and businesses.

I pray each day for God's protection over my family and nation. I'm sure you do the same. But, when our prayers seem unanswered, how can we continue trusting the One to whom we pray? First of all, it's when our prayers seem unanswered that we MOST NEED to trust Him.

Today it may not feel like there is much hope on the horizon for an expeditious way out of our circumstances. The passage from here to there may seem like a dark and endless tunnel, but I assure you, one day, we’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel and we’ll realize the gifts we received during these days. If we remember that there is a gift in every crisis or challenge -- in every transition of life -- we will be able to go with the flow more easily. As we discover the gift in every season, we learn to trust that loving, divine purpose behind it. Then the current of life can carry us off to new adventures, more rewarding and exciting than any we may have chosen on our own.

Yesterday I spoke about “The Eye of the Storm”. If we respond to each storm and each season from the “eye” of God's presence within, where perfect peace and wisdom dwell, we will emerge even stronger, wiser, and freer than before. We may even morph into a beautiful, free butterfly for the first time because of the inner workings of God in our lives. Lord, please give us grace for every season so we can spread our wings and fly!

In the Eye of the Storm

It has been said that music brings a soothing, healing effect to those in pain or in stress or crisis. Kari Jobe's song, "Healer" soothed my sweetheart's racked-with-pain-body as we played it over and over for him. That's why I chose "Amazing Grace" and "It is Well With My Soul" to post about over the last two days. I know God was giving me those songs to not only inspire me for the tough times, but also those of you that needed an encouraging word that could take you through to tomorrow.

I grew up in church singing hymns, of which many were written and composed during the most perilous and painful times. Indeed the sound of music has brought such healing and calm to me when I needed it most.

While watching the progression of Irma on the news yesterday, I kept hearing them talk about the "eye of the storm" -- that period of time during a storm when it becomes calm. And, whether things get better or worse after it, we know our anchor is God and His love and peace surrounds us....in the eye of the storm. It reminded me of this more recent recorded song that has blessed me so much.

May the words encourage those of you who are facing storms today -- literally AND figuratively -- with the calmness of knowing....God is in control. The YouTube link is at the end of my post.

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control.
And in the middle of the war, You guard my soul.
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm.

When the solid ground is falling out from underneath my feet.
Between the black skies, and my red eyes, I can barely see.
When I realize I've been sold out by my friends and my family,
I can feel the rain reminding me.....

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me , in the eye of the storm.

When my hopes and dreams are far from me
And I'm runnin' out of faith.
I see the future I picture slowly fade away.
And when the tears of pain and heartache,
Are pouring down my face,
I find my peace in Jesus' name.

In the eye of the storm , You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul.
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn.
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

When the test comes in and the doctor says
I've only got a few months left.
It's like a bitter pill I'm swallowing, I can barely take a breath.
And when addiction steals my baby girl,
And there's nothing I can do
My only hope is to trust You, I trust You, Lord

https://www.ccmmagazine.com/media/stream/video/music-video/ryan-stevenson-eye-of-the-storm/

Amazing Grace -- How Sweet the Sound

I turned on my TV first thing yesterday morning and the top story was an 8.1 earthquake had struck Mexico in the night, leaving one million people without power. Mexico's president called it the strongest quake his country had seen in a century. Meanwhile, Hurricane Irma is coming -- the second-strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. And to make matters worse, Hurricane Jose is strengthening and threatens islands devastated by Irma. LORD, HAVE MERCY!!!

Just after I had seen that news, I started my morning readings in Isaiah 43 and these words came alive. "Should you pass through the waters, I shall be with you." God is with us. It is His voice that I hear saying, "You need Me!" And Jeremiah 29:13 says "If you will seek Me, you will find Me."

Whoever you are, no matter what faith you have, or have not, you have undoubtedly heard the song, "Amazing Grace". You probably even know some of the words and can sing along.
The song was written by a former slave trader, John Newton. His early days as a philanderer in the British navy to his conversion of faith and taking up the abolitionist cause is the basis for the song.

While Newton was serving on a slave ship, the ship was caught in a horrendous storm off the coast of Ireland and almost sank. Newton awoke in the middle of the night and, as the ship filled with water, called out to God. The cargo shifted and stopped up the hole, and the ship drifted to safety. Newton took this as a sign from the Almighty and marked it as his conversion to Christianity. The date was March 10, 1748, an anniversary he celebrated for the rest of his life.

After returning to England, Newton and his wife, dramatically confronted the Prince of Wales and urged him to abolish the cruel slavery practice. In 1764, he was ordained as an Anglican priest and wrote 280 hymns to accompany his services. He wrote the words for “Amazing Grace” in 1772. He later went on to renounce his former slaving profession and wrote a pamphlet that described the horrific conditions on slave ships and apologized for waiting so long to stand up for what was right. Under the leadership of William Wilberforce, the English civil government outlawed slavery in Great Britain in 1807 and Newton lived to see it, dying in December of that year.

John Newton had some glitches in his life. He was a philanderer and a slave trader. St. Paul had some glitches. He was a Christian persecutor. King David was an adulterer and murderer. St. Peter was a coward and denied Christ. The Bible is full of those who had glitches. We all have glitches -- maybe that come from a dysfunctional family tree, but God uses those glitches to turn us into radical followers of Christ that when the storms come and the ships of our lives nearly sink, we STAND. And, we not only stand, but we become those who sing the loudest and most heartfelt -- "AMAZING GRACE, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but NOW I SEE!" I pray for that AMAZING GRACE to all those facing storms of life and heart today.

Doing Our Best to Stay in Peace

Watching the news report of another devastating hurricane approaching the U.S. coasts -- I continue to pray for divine intervention for those precious souls who are evacuating and have no idea what they will come home to – if anything at all.

Last night my church held a Holy Hour to pray for all those affected by Hurricane Harvey and for those in the path of Hurricane Irma. It sure made my heart glad to know that we were a united front, pounding on heaven’s door with prayers of intercession for our brothers and sisters in harm’s way. Many lives have been turned upside down and inside out….literally. I can only imagine how they long for peace and the very least we can do is to pray and PRAY HARD. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

While in prayer, this old song came to me:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim.
In the light of His glory and grace.

That sounds like it’s taking all this devastation too lightly, but on the other hand, that’s what we must do – we put the spot light on God’s grace and keep our eyes focused on He who is the essence of peace.

No question – it’s a work-out to strive for peace at all times and especially at times when there are families displaced by war, little children on streets begging for something to eat, out of control fires ravaging homes and families…..and now these hurricanes. Doing our best to stay in peace, regardless of the natural form of storms, as well as the storms of the soul that rage (and I’ve had many) must be our greatest determination.

Isaiah 26:3 says “Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on ME!” I know the world's peace depends on calm seas, favorable circumstances, getting our way, things going as expected, with very few challenges. That sounds so good, but as soon as the storm clouds start rolling in (literally and figuratively), we tend to go the way of anxiety and concern.

Here's the peace I know well -- the peace Jesus gives. That peace helps me face circumstances with a quiet confidence that guides me -- not contingent on what's going on around me, but what's inside me -- better yet, WHO'S inside me. Jesus said, "Peace, I give you -- my peace I give you -- not as the world gives I you! Let not your heart be troubled." John 14:27

Here I am, this morning, all safe and sound in my home in Frisco, TX -- my needs are met. I’m comfortable and secure. But, I could be here, and not know Him -- and be completely lost and hopeless -- longing for inner peace and rest in my soul. How grateful I am that when I searched, I found that safe place in the person of Jesus Christ, and what a difference it has made in the many storms I’ve encountered.

Don’t you know that it breaks God’s heart to allow the storms to come? As parents, doesn’t it break our hearts when our children encounter storms and though we don't ever like to see our children suffer, sometimes having them cuddle up to us for reassurance and peace, just feels good. Should we think that our Father is care-less about His kids? I believe He could be strategic in allowing some things....that He knows draws us closer to Him. “ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8.

I continue to pray for our country – on so many levels and above all, I pray that not only does God bless America, but more importantly that America blesses God and turns to Him for “peace in the midst of the storms”.